A method and apparatus for inspecting poultry carcasses are known from the European patent application EP 1 222 858. This application discusses the article “Hands-off Inspection Proving Processors' Utopia” by David Amey in the journal PPM (Poultry Processing and Marketing) of January 1978, pages 28-33. In an effort to bring Utopia to reality, EP 1 222 858 proposes an inspection system wherein the inspection can be carried out using a series of cameras, therewith obviating the need to employ inspectors for this purpose.
As a rule, however, the law prevents inspection of poultry carcasses and their viscera packages by a fully automatic process without human intervention. An inspection system employing only cameras and no inspectors, therefore, never has become reality.
Moreover, in the system proposed by EP 1 222 858 a complete replacement of human inspection by camera based inspection using a machine only is not accomplished. According to this document (FIG. 3 and Col. 10, lines 38-46), inspection can be carried out by an inspector, who can approve or reject a carcass or a cluster of viscera by pressing one or more buttons, whereas the inspection can also be carried out with the aid of a camera. As set forth at Column 11, line 54 to column 12 line 3 the buttons are used to transmit an eject signal to a control system, which is adapted to remove the viscera from a drawing member and/or to remove the carcass from its hook. This is further explained with reference to the document's FIGS. 5 and 5A. From the ensuing discussion with reference to FIGS. 5, 5A and 5B, it follows that the actual inspection is carried out by the inspector touching the poultry carcasses. Column 14, lines 40-56 of EP 1 222 858 mentions that at least one inspection takes place carried out by an inspector and/or with the aid of a camera. If the viscera cluster and/or a carcass is rejected, the inspector draws the associated carcass towards him, so that it is no longer located in the path of conveyance of the remaining carcasses. The open spots in the path of conveyance of the carcasses are detected with a sensor, and a control system which is connected to this sensor generates an eject signal for the associated viscera cluster. Pushing the button as is mentioned above is then apparently still required for also removing the poultry carcass from its hook. The actual selection of the poultry to be rejected is, however, done by the inspector manually moving a particular poultry carcass out of its path of conveyance, when the associated viscera cluster or the poultry carcass itself meets objection. Obviously, this method of operation involves a considerable risk of cross contamination.
WO01/76378 discloses a method and a plant for inspecting slaughtered poultry wherein poultry carcasses are suspended by the legs and moved in a processing line in a first conveyor, viscera packs are eviscerated and suspended from a second conveyor, and wherein selection of a certain carcass for rejection or closer inspection automatically results in taking down this carcass and the associated viscera pack. The inspection of the carcasses and the viscera packs respectively occurs by manual, visual inspection, preferably without touching the carcasses and the viscera packs, respectively.